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[Powder Miner]

Senija was rather less amused, still trying to calm down.
:"Ggggh. I don't think that's a good idea, I mean, I'm TRYING not to blow up because you don't want me to, but... I'm just--- not... very settled."

[Swordstar]

"Well, it was her suggestion, so I'd be ok with it if you two did. But if not, that's ok too. Maybe go talk to someone else, try and calm down that way?"

[mastahcheese]

Zane looked over and observed the shouting match from a safe distance.
Criminal gang? Join or die?
Yup, Nico knew how to pick them.

[GiglameshDespair]

Seeing Harlan busy talking with his brother, Ketsuki made her way besides Albert.

"You are perturbed, Albert." She smiled slightly. "I do not need two eyes  to see that."

[Haspen]

Laura silently stuck her tongue out at Senija from behind safety of Tomik's back.

[Powder Miner]

The look Senija gave Laura at that particular moment was... not a calm one to say the least. Senija shuddered with repressed anger, turned around and growled slightly as she walked off.

[Ochita]

Albert had stayed under the tree, head cast down. He looked up at Ketsuki, and gave a small, faint, fake smile. He kept it up for a couple of moments before he dropped it back into a frown.
  "Yeah.. I turned away from that wyvern rider and... Harlan just murdered him. What would I have done if I didn't look away..?"

[Swordstar]

"Well... that could have gone better."

He sighed slightly.

"I should probably go talk to her..."

[Sirus]

Something inside Harlan snapped. He took Harold by the collar in both hands and shoved him away from the rest of the group, forcing the younger Coronas against a handy tree. He spoke in a harsh whisper quite unlike his normal emotionless tone.

: "Do you know how old I was when I got initiated into the gangs, little brother? Eight. They like to get get you when you're young, when you have no one to turn to, like I was after dad left. I didn't have much of a goddamn choice in the matter. But then as you grew older and I knew that they'd be trying to ensnare you as well, do you know what I did?" He slammed his stupid brother into the tree for emphasis. "I told them that you were too weak to bother with, that you were soft, that you were sick. I told them everything I could think of to get them to lose interest. I tried to hook you up with good people instead; remember when that mage society came to town and you got all excited? Who told you about them, little brother? Who?!"
He slammed his brother against the tree again, then slapped him across the cheek because he was so pissed off. Blood began to trickle from the corner of Harlan's mouth but he ignored it.

: "It was too late for me to "live a half decent life", and if I hadn't done everything in my power it would be too late for you as well! When you started pickpocketing so you could be "cool like Harlan" I nearly gave up right then! But eventually you got out of that hellhole, and you know what little brother? I was proud of you. You made it all worthwhile, all the late nights and "favors" I had to do to keep the gangs' grubby mitts off of you." He finally let Harold go, and backed up to wipe the blood away. "You shouldn't stay with us, little brother. We're going to be doing more nasty things like killing that man in order to reach safety and you can't let yourself get involved. Maybe, if we ever do find safety, I'll stop being a slumdog and settle down to die in peace. But until that happens, this group will need someone willing to do whatever it takes, no matter how unpleasant. And that someone is me."

[GiglameshDespair]

"To be honest, Albert, I do not think you could have saved him. You were too far to stop Harlan, and he was set on ending his opponents life." She frowned slightly and spoke more quietly. "it may be cold comfort for one kind like you, but that man's fate was sealed. If you had healed him, he would have been taken into town and executed. It would have been a stay of his fate, and no great kindness in the meantime."

[Solymr]

Even after a couple of seconds of silence, Harold was still hurt, more from the words that the several slams and slaps.

: You've really done a lot for me. I know that. But why do you insist that you can't be decent? He was unsure of what to say, but continued. All I am now it's thanks to you, so why don't you let me return the favor? Please... Let me be the one that does something for you for once.

: You probably won't hear me saying this but... I missed you. I really did. I couldn't understand why you wouldn't leave... But now you did. And it seems we have a lot of catching up to do.

[Ochita]

  "S.. So I was powerless in the end?" Albert stayed quiet for a couple of moments, then shook his head. "I.. I knew that we weren't entirely likely to keep him with us. I knew that, and yet... It was different than fighting the army or these bandits..." Albert was quiet, before speaking in barely more than a whisper.
  "Y-you're right.. But it doesn't make anything easier.. _Sorry."

[Sirus]

: "I just told you why, Harold. If I let myself be decent then I can't make myself be in the hard place. If I can't be in the hard place, I can't do what needs to be done. Most of these kids aren't criminals, really, just folks who were in the wrong place or on the wrong side. Except Kyle, but he's psychotic and an idiot. They need someone like me." The thief sighed.

: "Look...I did miss you, too. And while I didn't exactly leave voluntarily I'm glad to get out. If you want to come along you can, but it won't be easy. You need to know that. We're on the run from the law and we're not out of danger yet. Still want to stay?"

[GiglameshDespair]

Ketsuki nodded and drew her sword. She held it out to Albert.

"Take hold of my sword for a while. Feel the weight. That weight is more than just iron: it is my life, and all those I have slain. To choose a battlefield is to accept death, but struggle against it. To carry a weapon is to accept the lives of those you fight, and they accept yours. In the end, it was no different - he had already given us his life.

This is not a kind world we live in, my friend. It will not be easy for you. To speak of truth, I was not raised with the compunctions you were - I was raised to wield the blade, and my mind was honed similar to the steel." She paused and shook her head. "To lose your innocence may be a terrible thing, but it may be needed. Power to destroy is also power to protect."

[Ochita]

Albert looked at Ketsuki's sword for a while, then picked himself up from the sand. He slowly took it from her with one hand, and once he was holding it, he almost stopped it, until he supported it with both hands.
  "This... This does feel heavy.. But... I just can't... to kill someone, that'd be against almost everything that I personally believe in..."
  "B..But maybe.. There are wounds that can never be healed, and that.. Sometimes its best if some things were removed.. I just..." At this point, Albert almost dropped the sword. With some embarrassment on his face, he handed it back to Ketsuki. "I do... I want to protect the people close to me. But I still don't want to hurt people... B-but it seems as though that sometimes its the only way... I couldn't get Zane out of danger with that shaman, and no matter how much I healed it didn't help.." With that finished, Albert looked at Zane in the distance, and shook his head softly.
  "... Thanks Ketsuki, for looking out for me. I don't think I can quite bring myself to accept hurting someone yet however... But..." Albert managed a small, but sincere smile.
"Thanks. For this talk, it's still not easy but it helps."